Along Mississippi Riverwalk outside the Grand River Center, Dubuque, IA

• UMCVB 2017​The Upper Midwest Convention & Visitors Bureau conference has me crossing the state of Iowa with my sights set on Dubuque. Having not been to Dubuque since childhood, I honestly had no expectations of the location, but knowing the crew at Travel Dubuque I knew it was going to hit the ball out of the park…

And they did! Our opening ceremony was held at the Field of Dreams movie site. I loved the movie and was very excited to stand on home plate. Being a bit of a farm girl, I wasn't expecting to become so emotionally enthralled as I did when the ‘Ghost Players’ took the field as the sun set amidst the corn. That surreal moment will live forever in my mind. You couldn’t have asked for a more perfect late-summer evening. ​

A sincere and gracious Thank you to the UMCVB Board, Training Resources, and Travel Dubuque for a top notch 20th Upper Midwest Convention and Visitors Bureau Conference.

After an amazing 72 hours of learning, networking, and exploring the great city of Dubuque, IA, we all feel like winners but there are a few individuals who actually walked away with great honors and awards.

The recipient of the Cole Carley Scholarship was Cheryl Osborne of Henry County, IL.